Threads of Change (15 page)

“You know,” Megan began, “if you would ever sleep, you might never know if I’m out in the dark or not.”

Liz sighed.

“Do you miss home, Liz?”

“Do you?” she asked in return.

“Not really, but I do wonder if Grandpa is worried over us and if he got word somehow about our troubles.”

“He knew we would have trouble, maybe even figured we might get lost, but I’m sure he’s been comforted at the thought that we had Thomas and Chet to see us through. The only way we were to be alone like this was if someone was killed.”

“Poor Thomas,” Megan said with a sigh. “Grandpa Lucas won’t be gentle with him when he finds out. Though it was not their fault. Do you think they are alive, Lizzie, and out there looking for us?”

“Yes, I do. And most likely very upset with us for not making it easier to find us.”

They both laughed.

“Why do I need a man at all in my life?” Liz proposed with a gentle smile. “I mean, if I can get us across the prairie, then I can make it on my own, don’t you think so? I will have the mercantile and you can have your dress shop, Megan, and we will be just fine. Luke is almost grown, and I don’t need to remarry for him. I feel like men are never there when you really need them the most.” When she looked up and noticed the sadness in her sister’s eyes, Liz sighed. “I have a hard heart now. I know that, but I don’t want to be hurt again.”

Megan stirred the fire a little and turned to face her sister. “You had a happy marriage with Caleb. Don’t dishonor him by thinking bitterly about marriage. You don’t mean it. We just have not met suitable men. I’m simply saying to you, don’t give up on Thomas. He loves you, you know.”

Before Liz could part her lips to object, Megan stood up and moved toward her. Leaning over, she gave Liz a warm embrace.

“I’m tired. I’m going to turn in. Don’t stay out too long.”

Liz watched after her as Megan withdrew to the wagon for the night. Liz wanted to stay and listen to the humming of the night creatures a while longer.

Deep in thought, Liz stirred the fire and didn’t hear them until the approaching boot steps thumped to a stop in front of her and the fire. Startled, she looked up and gasped as she saw a man with his hat pulled down over his eyes, his long hair showing beneath it. His leather holster sported two revolvers, and he clutched a rifle in his hand with the butt of the gun leaning on his hip. Liz looked down the barrel as her heart pounded out a discordant rhythm against her dress.

“You’re not too cautious,” the man stated.

“And you’re rather brave, walking right into my camp like this.”

She straightened quickly, her thoughts scrambling for what to do. Blue and John had already retired for the night.

“What do you want, and who are you?”

“I could have killed you or—” he began.

“You might get one of us, but you would never walk the same again.”

Megan’s voice had come from beyond the cover of brush.

“Come out of the trees, young lady,” he said, and Liz thought he sounded worried. “I don’t want anyone hurt.”

“You would like that,” Megan snapped. “Drop your gun and step away from my sister.”

The young man lowered his gun and backed away. Out of the fire’s light, Liz squinted to keep her eyes on him.

“Not that far!” Megan exclaimed. “Step into the light where we can see you. Now!”

“I don’t want to hurt either of you, ma’am. If I did, I could easily have killed you both by now. I’ve watched you all day. I know who you are. I’m a Texas Ranger come to escort you to Fort Worth.” He motioned to his badge, hidden by his hair, clamped to his vest pocket.

Liz heard Megan let out a heavy sigh of relief just before Bear appeared out of nowhere, yipped out a single bark, and ran up to the Ranger with his tail wagging as if he greeted an old friend.

“Bear, you traitor!” Liz stated as she watched the two. “How does he know you?”

He laughed. “We became friends over by the ridge of rocks today. I was watching all of you and he came to me just like this.”

The man lowered to one knee, patting Bear’s back, and Megan stepped out from the darkness, still clutching her revolver, looking a bit insecure about letting down her guard. She came and stood by Liz, and they studied the man who stood before them.

He had as much unruly hair as the dog. Liz had never seen a man with hair that long, tied and wrapped with a leather strap on each side of his head. The texture seemed far too wavy for him to be Indian, and despite his deep tan, his skin was too light for such a heritage. His brownish green eyes twinkled slightly as he looked up at Megan.

“You have no cause to fear me,” he said, still rubbing Bear’s back. “Could you aim that pistol in another direction?”

“Are you alone then?” Liz asked. “We were told that a man named Tex would be our escort.”

“Tex will be here. Jackson is riding with us, too. They were delayed. They’ll be along late morning. You two go on to bed. Bear and I will keep guard together.”

Megan and Liz exchanged questioning glances.

“What’s your name?” Liz asked him.

“Colt, ma’am.”

“I’m Elizabeth Bromont. And this is my sister, Megan Ronnay.”

“My pleasure,” he replied, straightening with a smile. “Go on and get some shut-eye, both of you. We’ll head out to Fort Worth in the morning.”

Thomas finished his coffee, deep in thought. He couldn’t understand how he could have missed Liz and the others. He felt frustrated and embarrassed, and he couldn’t seem to scratch that itch in his ear, the one that told him life was too short to waste time. The code of the West dictated doing things while you still could.

With a firm and silent nod, he determined that he would ask Liz to marry him as soon as he found her again. If they were married, he could certainly take better care of her, he decided.

“Today is the day!” Chet announced as he approached Thomas and the fresh coffee beside him.

“For what?” Thomas asked.

“I feel it in my bones. We will meet up with the wagons today. I have done all the calculations. We’ll find them along the river,” he declared, motioning southward.

Thomas looked off into the direction and shook his head. “I don’t know, but I sure hope you’re right.”

Why didn’t I ask her before we left?
Thomas thought.

He wouldn’t have lost them then; he wouldn’t have felt pushed to go after Chet when he went missing. Hindsight, of course, always near perfect, reassured him of that fact.

Thomas let his memory transport him back to the porch with Liz the day the wagons arrived. He thought she might tell him something that would let him know that she could be ready and willing to move on with her life. Certainly she knew that he loved her. And he’d been hoping that their trip would be the time where she might realize that she loved him, too.

Things have not worked out in my favor
, he lamented, and he shook his head.

Chet moved the dirt over the fire with his boot and looked to Thomas. “What are you fretting about?”

Thomas jumped up and stalked over to his horse, tugging on the belly strap of the saddle under his mare. “Let’s get moving,” he said.

They both leapt onto their mounts and headed out to find the others in the early morning light.

Liz congregated the women together and they gathered up all the laundry and bathing supplies, informing the men that they would be back after a while. It would give John, Blue, and Luke a good chance to get acquainted with Colt.

The water temperature felt cool but comfortable—once she adjusted to it, anyway. Each of the women removed her dress and scrubbed it on the rocks, spreading it over a bush to dry. Liz knew the garments would dry quickly in the hot Texas sun.

“Are you sure no one is around?” Megan asked, glancing about them.

“Yes,” Liz answered as she waded to her knees.

Megan and Emma looked about as the others untied their camisoles.

Liz grinned. “I’m going to wear my camisole while I swim and wash my hair. But if you want to take yours off, I’m sure you’re safe in doing it.”

The others boldly disrobed and washed their camisoles as well, spreading them out on the rocks to dry with their dresses before they all swam and enjoyed the cool water over their sore muscles. As she scrubbed her milky skin with the lavender soap bubbles, Liz thought back to how Grandpa Lucas had taught them how to swim one summer when they all were still very young. Lathering more of the soap between her palms, she washed her hair until it squeaked between her fingers.

“This feels so good I don’t want to get out,” Megan said with a sigh as she floated about. “Do you think our clothes are dry now, Lizzie?”

The other three women dried off with the heavy cloths they’d brought along, and they dressed quickly in the fresh cotton clothing.

“Oh, you were the smart ones,” Liz announced. “I should have put my camisole on the rocks to dry like you all did. I’ll have to wait a little longer to let mine dry. You go ahead back to camp. I’ll just swim a bit more, and I think it should be dry by then.”

“Leave you here alone?” Abby exclaimed.

“I’ll be fine,” she said as she skimmed out of her camisole and handed it off to Megan to spread out on the rocks next to her dress. “Check and see if the other Rangers have arrived. I’ll be along in a few minutes.”

Liz felt refreshed, happy to remain behind and swim about in the cool water for a little bit longer. She heard Abby humming an old church hymn as the group of them hiked around the bend toward camp.

L
arge billowy clouds with hollow centers looked as if they’d been randomly strewn about the clear blue sky. Liz stood in the shallow water, her camisole still damp and clinging to her as she looked up at them. Water dripped from her hair as it hung down her back. The sun’s rays came down in spears and bounced around the water in glistening streaks as she closed her eyes and drew in a deep, lingering breath of fresh air.

Liz opened her eyes and stood perfectly still, stunned by the presence of a young brave standing less than a yard away from her at the river’s edge. Behind him, a painted pony grazed in the grass. No sound escaped from her as she sank into the water to cover her naked flesh. She felt frozen, suspended in the water, almost unable to breathe as he inched into the river.

The brave reached out toward her unexpectedly, and she gasped as his hand made contact with her face. At almost the same moment, the young Indian started at the sudden break in the silence. Footsteps thumped down the rocky path past the trees beyond the pony, and the man who emerged looked something like a large bear stumbling down the hill. On the opposite side of the river, two more Indians—until that moment, completely undetected—made their way across the water to the safety of the thick trees.

Megan reached the water ahead of the mountain of a man, and she reached for the drying cloth as she approached Liz in the water. Mildly traumatized by the experience of seeing her very first Indians, Liz’s entire body trembled violently.

Megan wrapped the cloth around her and led her from the water.

“Liz, are you hurt? Look at me. Are you okay?” Megan held her sister by the shoulders. “Liz? Speak to me.”